A Comparative Study between Local Infiltration of Ropivacaine Cocktail and Post-operative Epidural Bupivacaine in Post-operative Analgesia in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Study Summary

50 patients undergoing primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were randomized to receive periarticular local infiltration analgesia (LIA) with a ropivacaine-based cocktail or postoperative epidural bupivacaine. The primary outcome of interest was postoperative pain measured using the visual analogue scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included rescue analgesia requirements, motor block, hypotension, bradycardia, time to independent ambulation, and knee range of motion (ROM). Outcomes were assessed at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours after surgery. Overall, the results of the study revealed significantly lower VAS scores and reduced rescue analgesia requirements with LIA, along with fewer complications and better early ambulation and ROM. These findings suggested that periarticular LIA may provide more effective early postoperative analgesia and facilitate recovery compared with epidural bupivacaine after TKA.